The pond cultivation of C. lentillifera has been very successful on Mactan Island, Cebu, in the central Philippines, with markets in Cebu and Manila. About 400 ha of ponds are under cultivation, producing 12-15 tonnes of fresh seaweed per hectare per year. C. lentillifera is also eaten in Okinawa, where it is known as umi-budō(海ぶどう?), meaning "sea grapes".